It all started in March. “We have an opportunity, a once in a lifetime one to have a gathering of five P-38s” was how the phone call began. For the non-aviation enthusiast, the P-38 Lightning is a WWII fighter of incredible fame. Between those in static displays and flying, we’re looking at just a handful of these dual boom flying machines of an ancient era left in the world. Personally, it was a plane my father, a bombardier/navigator in B-29s in WWII was involved with in the factory. I grew up on stories of this fabled aircraft with models and photos about the house. So when the call came and I was asked to help in the effort to bring the P-38s to the Reno Air Races in Sept, I jumped right in. This movie requires Flash Player 9 Fast forward the clock to the races just last week. As it is with aircraft that are 60-80 years old, things happen. And running these warbirds takes money, just the...

This movie requires Flash Player 9 Some mornings we’d head out on the ramp early not knowing what we’d find. When we made the turn on the ramp and saw the P-38 23 Skidoo parked there, we didn’t have to go any further for a subject. This great plan which is hangered at Planes of Fame is one of the six flying P-38s. It was O-dark thirty when we arrived, we were actually a little early this morning. The sodium vapor lights were still on we were so early. I was curious what effect they might have on the 23 Skidoo. Well, now I know. Kind of a cool glow to the fuselage. This movie requires Flash Player 9 Then the light started to come up and equaling out with the sodium vapor so just before they went off, I made this nose shot. You can still see their influence in the front of the plane which without them would have all gone to shadow. First time I’ve ever...